North America

Jo Freudenheim.

The United States

Assessing cultural competency among outpatient clinic personnel serving refugee populations in Buffalo, New York

Kristina Young, MS

Location: Buffalo, NY
Department: Office of Global Health Initiatives fieldwork in partnership with the Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health

Buffalo, NY is one of the top resettlement sites for refugees resettling in the United States. This project surveyed out-patient clinics in Buffalo to assess the knowledge, skills and attitudes of outpatient clinic staff. The project is a part of a 3-part initiative funded by the Office of Global Health Initiatives to measure cultural competency of health care for refugees in Buffalo from outpatient provider, inpatient provider, and refugee patient perspectives.

The Department of Family and Community Medicine within the University of New Mexico partners with communities to enhance the health and well-being of the people of New Mexico through innovative education, research and service. Founded in 1967, their goal is to stretch the boundaries of educational innovation, provide excellent patient care, and increase contributions to academic scholarship and leadership. The Office of Global Health Initiatives partners with the Department of Family and Community Medicine and the Navajo Area Agency on Aging to develop and implement interventions to improve the health of elders on the Navajo Nation.

The Navajo Area Agency on Aging ensures that elders living on the Navajo Nation can receive benefits and services to which they are entitled in a manner that preserves their dignity, self respect and cultural identity. The Office of Global Health Initiatives partners with the Navajo Area Agency on Aging and the Department of Family and Community Medicine to develop and implement interventions to improve the health of elders on the Navajo Nation.

Puerto Rico

In conjunction with researchers at the University of Puerto Rico, Jo Freudenheim, PhD, is conducting a case control study of breast cancer in Puerto Rico. They are examining factors that can explain the increase in breast cancer incidence there. In particular, they are studying diet, diet in adolescence, physical activity, sun exposure and other early life exposures.

Dominican Republic

Creating tailored messages for future BOCA patients in the Dominican Republic

Elizabeth Gage Bouchard, PhD

Location: Dominican Republic
Department: Office of Global Health Initiatives fieldwork award project

This project is the result of a fieldwork award received by an MPH student in the Department of Community Health and Health Behavior. The student partnered with the University at Buffalo’s School of Dental Medicine’s Buffalo Outreach and Community Assistance (BOCA) program to analyze preventive dental care activities of patients who attended a UB sponsored dental clinic in the Dominican Republic.